Say Something
by Jaely
Summary: At some point everyone has a breaking point. That point that they can't keep going as they have without completely breaking and Emma has reached it.


_**A/N:** Hi everyone! I know it's been a long time since I posted something, and this one is again off the beaten path I normally write, but it was cathartic to write. For those that have been reading my work for a while and know about my health issues, they are progressing, which is not fun, to say the least. Which has put me into a massive level of depression. I actually have a mental health counselor that comes to see me every week at my home, if that gives you any indication as to the severity of my condition, both physical and mental._

 _Anyway one if the things that has been discussed is about actually finishing some of my stories as well as writing more in general and posting those stories. So here is the first story I have finished since that last session. It's a one-shot and a sad one at that, but it's been sitting in my writing folder for years, so I finally finished it and I'm posting it for you all to read._

 _ **Warnings:** A little bit of language, but not really a big deal. The biggest thing to be aware of is that this story is an AU. It doesn't reference anything in any of the episodes but it more or less puts the characters outside of the events that have taken place within the show in order to create the Storybook I wanted for this story. So please don't jump on me for not being accurate to Canon. Nearly all of my stories move away from Canon within the first paragraph I write, so it should not come as a surprise._

 _ **Summary:** At some point everyone has a breaking point. That point that they can't keep going as they have without completely breaking and Emma has reached it._

 _ **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, and am only using the characters for entertainment. No profit is being made from this story._

* * *

 _Say Something…_

 _By: Jaely_

 _Say something, I'm giving up on you  
I'll be the one, if you want me to  
Anywhere, I would've followed you  
Say something, I'm giving up on you_

‡

She was tired, bone tired, of it all. She really didn't know how much more she could take, at this rate, always being stuck between two seeming endlessly warring factions. One side wanting her, Emma Swan, the Sheriff and supposed _Savior_ of Storybrook; to see Regina Mills as _the_ _Evil Queen_. That apparently is what _everyone_ else just _knew._ Then there's the other... which just seemed to push her away _any_ time Emma made any kind of progress in becoming closer.

Emma knew what it was like not to be able to trust easily. Hell that was the theme of her whole life, but Regina made not trusting into a fucking art form. All Emma wanted was to be closer to Regina, even with all the snipping and degrading commentary she got from the older woman, Emma felt Regina did it mostly just to keep people from hurting her and the blonde got that. She really did.

It was a language Emma Swan knew and understood very well. It was one she used to her advantage on more than enough occasions, within her own life. And was fully aware of what was happening during her interactions with Regina. Or at least that was until her _'parents'_ remembered who they were and got involved.

After the curse was broken, followed by even more shit raining down on Regina, mostly because no one but Emma – and even then that had been sporadic – seemed to believe Regina was trying to change. Even their son, Henry, constantly questioned Regina on her dedication to the path of redemption. Again... like herself, she found herself ashamed to admit, Henry was influenced by the fear and hate mongering by others in Storybrook. What makes it all the harder to resist and tune out, is that a good deal of the disbelief, if not out right hate, came from her very own parents.

Snow White and David's disbelief that Regina could change and be supposedly 'good' had led to Emma herself disregarding her well honed and trusted instincts about people, on more than one occasion. Which ultimately had led them to the hear and now, over another argument about Magic and it's use in Storybrook.

Where once again Regina was being blamed, without any form of evidence of wrongdoing, solely because she was supposedly _'Evil'_. And once more Emma was thrust into the middle between her parent's and the woman she _knew_ she had deeper feelings for, feelings she now _knew_ she would _never_ be able to express.

She had always wanted to have parents as well as possibly finding love, but now, the reality of having 'parents' at the age of thirty years old was not living up to what she had ever dreamed of. Mainly because she only dreamed of having parents as a child, what it would have been like then, not as an adult. They wanted in her life so completely, that more often than not, Emma felt utterly smothered and stifled. She didn't 'need' parents that were trying to parent her _now_. She was thirty years old for god's sakes, but that didn't seem to even slow the Charmings down in the least. Not to mention that Emma had been utterly terrified that they wouldn't like or love her if she told them how she really felt. At this point though, Emma was starting to no longer care. Hell she did no longer care...

Her mind, body, and soul _hurt_ , and it felt like nothing mattered any longer. The only good thing she had left at this point was her son. And within the time she got to be with her son, Emma treasured, and in that time that she got to have at least some contact with Regina outside of town business or because of her parents, when they interacted with Henry. Unfortunately, after this last incident where Regina was, once again, blamed for a crime she didn't commit; the older woman had more or less gone back to treating Emma like she did before the curse had been broken. Regina was civil around Henry towards Emma, but that was it. There was no other contact, no matter how many different ways Emma had tried, she was rebuked – harshly. There really was only so much a person could take and Emma Swan had finally reach it, with both her parents and being rejected at every turn by Regina – she was done.

Tears filled Emma's eyes as she looked up at the star filled, clear sky above her, her hands perched on her hips as she tried to draw in steady breaths into her lungs. She was alone now in the middle of the Forest, where Regina had finally been able to trace the epicenter of the magic that had caused the earthquake and shockwave throughout the town, the others storming off after finding nothing that would give them anymore indication as to what had occurred and who had set off the blast of magic and for what purpose. Her parents once more drawing the conclusion that Regina was the cause, and Regina defending herself as best she could with her wickedly sharp wit and sharper tongue, that ended up biting very deeply into not only the Charmings, but also Emma herself; when she tried to settle things with logic and reasonings, thinking that would make her parents stop attacking Regina. It had failed in the most spectacular way.

Now Emma was using every ounce of willpower she had not to go into default mode and just... run. Leave and never come back. She was so tired of hurting and being in the middle of all this hate, when all she wanted to do was get to know the amazing woman that raised her son. To see if they could possibly have something more than just a shared son between them, if they could have something that Emma wanted more than anything in the world – a real family of her own. Emma really felt in her heart that there could be, she had felt a pull towards the woman from the very start, but they were both stubborn and yes, Emma wished she could have done things differently at the beginning, but she couldn't and now Emma knew it was just too late to even try anymore.

With that thought Emma turned and started to make her way back to where she had parked the Sheriff's truck, her whole body and mind too tired to think or even feel anymore. The trip back into town was a silent one, not even the blonde's thoughts seemed to want to invade her mind for the near forty minute trip it took to get back into the town limits, made on automatic. Though once Emma came to the first stop sign her once silent mind became a cacophony of thoughts, emotions, and ideas all at the same time. It came on so suddenly that it forced Emma to just sit there at the stop sign to get her bearings as to what she wanted to do, before she could even get the patrol truck moving again.

When she did, it was with her jaw set in a hard line and her fingers curling around the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned pale with the pressure as she maneuvered the truck through the empty streets of Storybrook until she pulled into the parking place in front of the station. She threw open the door and locked it up, before making her way down the street to the only place she could think of where she would be able to go where she could get some kind of sleep tonight, away from her parents. Afterwards she make sure of her decisions as to what she wanted to do about her future.

‡

 _And I am feeling so small  
It was over my head  
I know nothing at all_

* * *

"You sure you don't need anything else Sheriff?" Emma looked back at Ruby as she moved over towards the bed, her head shaking 'no' at the other woman still standing by the open doorway.

"Nah Ruby, I'm fine. Just needed a place to crash away from my parents tonight. I can't thank you enough for not being angry for waking you up." Emma stated simply waving off the offer. Ruby easily sympathized with the blonde's desire to get away from her overbearing parents and told her not to worry about it. After their respective good nights Emma was lift alone in the room she had once stayed in when she had first come to the town of Storybrook in the first place.

So much had happened since then, her whole world view had changed into something she never thought it would. Emma moved over to the window and looked out into the still vista of the town she had come to call home over the last two years for a while, her mind replaying the events of the last few days as though it was stuck on repeat. Eventually getting her head to just shut the hell up, she leaned up against the frame of the window – so that the side of her head could lightly rest on the wood – as she stared blankly out into the empty streets below her. Emma closed her rich green eyes, letting the drops of the tears – she had been valiantly holding back for far too long – finally fall, along with a deep shuddering sigh that actually shook Emma's wary frame. When her her left hand reach up and her nimble fingers found their way around the pendant, through the fabric of her shirt, of the necklace – that had hung around her neck since she was a child – she couldn't help but let her wary mind go through everything all over again.

When she opened her eyes again the view of the clock tower was blurry, but Emma continued to stare at it until she saw the minute hand move. Another tear falling down the path that many others had made before it. Finally she decided that she needed to get some sleep and then take some time to clear her head the next day, she would go for a bit of a drive away from Storybrook, get her head on straight again and look at things from a fresh point of view. With that thought in mind Emma was finally able to lay down and go to sleep.

When she woke up it was early, but she knew she needed to set some things in order, so that she could be away. She may be upset with her parents and Regina, but that didn't mean she was going to neglect her responsibilities to the town. Emma had been able get Ruby to be on call for the night shift for a couple of nights leaving David free to cover the day shifts, all before eight in the morning. Thankfully, David didn't ask as to why he needed to cover the day shift for Emma, nor did he ask why she didn't come home the night before. Emma was sure deep down David knew that if he asked he wouldn't like the answer to either question so he kept quiet.

Emma also was thanking all kinds of higher powers she could think of, that Snow wasn't at the apartment when she got there. She showered quickly and got dressed, then packed a few things that she would need for a few days she would be away, before quickly heading back out to her yellow bug and heading back over to Granny's Dinner to meet Henry for their Breakfast together. It was there saturday thing they did together, just the two of them, and she would be damned if she missed it, no matter how depressed she is about everything else that is going on in her life. Henry is the one good thing there was left, her one perfect thing, though she couldn't claim she had a lot to do with that; but she was still very proud that she had created him.

Trotting up into the diner Emma smiled a bit as her eyes landed on Ruby chatting with Henry, who was sitting in one of the booths. "Hey kid, what's up?" Emma greeted, as she slid into the bench across from Henry, giving Ruby's arm a light squeeze and a 'hey' in greeting as well. Henry was quite excited in his return greeting, as Emma sat down, obviously very anxious to share his news with her. Which made the blonde laugh softly and shake her head before she told the kid to slow down long enough for her to order her food seeing as he had already ordered his. Emma made sure to nix the chocolate shake her son was sure to have ordered before she had gotten there, much to Henry's annoyance and Ruby's amusement.

Once Ruby had moved back to put in their order to be made, Henry excitedly started back into his explanation about how he figured out what caused the magical earthquake. "And really, Emma it wasn't even an earthquake anyway! It was a Shockwave! And it was completely natural! Everyone keeps forgetting that we have all kinds of magical creatures that came here with us and once the curse was gone many of them changed back!" Emma put up her hands up to slow her son's rapid speech down.

"Whoa, whoa whoa. Go back for a moment. What are you saying, you think made the 'Shockwave'?" Emma asked as her son was talking way too fast that he seemed to have completely skipped over that bit of information. Not to mention how he found out about it, but that was the next question.

"I can't pronounce their names. I found them in one of mom's books. It has all kinds of magical creatures in them, and what kind of magic they can produce. I'd heard what you and mom were talking about and I remembered looking through the book before. It sounded familiar so I took another look, and it was there! Isn't that great? Now everyone can stop blaming mom! I know you were upset that everyone was blaming her, I was too, because she's been trying really hard to only use her magic for good things now, like training you and things." Once more Emma put her hands up to stem the flow of words coming from her son's mouth.

She wasn't sure how she felt about Henry looking through one of Regina's books, especially without one of them knowing about it. Regina had made sure to warn her about the danger of some of her books and the power that was held in them. How it could hurt the untrained if they were foolish enough to open them without knowing what they were doing.

"Henry, I get that you were trying to help and yes I am really upset that everyone was once again blaming your mom for something we both know she didn't do, but some of those books are really dangerous. I don't even touch her books unless she tells me I can." Emma stopped talking when Ruby once more came to their table to refill their drinks and put their breakfasts down in front of them. Emma quickly thanked her friend turned her attention back to Henry hoping that Ruby wouldn't be offended by the brush off, but she didn't want the kid to get distracted, because what she was saying was very serious. Thankfully, Ruby seemed to get that they were having a serious talk and left only pausing to give the blonde a gentle squeeze on the shoulder before she moved further away.

"I was only trying to help, Emma. I didn't touch any of her spell books, I promise. I know which one those are. I can't read any of those anyway, they are all in different languages I can't read. This one was one of a set of five that I could read and they were set aside from her spell books." Emma listened to Henry speak in earnest, trying to get her to understand and though she did understand, it was still something that frightened her and made her itch with knowing how close he could have come to harm because of his curiosity. She knew that Regina kept her spell books in a safe, but apparently their son knew the combination to said safe and Emma was going to have to speak with Regina about changing it. Oh joy, that was going to be a fun conversation.

Emma sighed heavily, Henry really needed to learn that he couldn't just do anything he liked just because he wanted to do it. "For now eat, afterwards we'll have to go speak with your mom-"

"What!? But Emma-"

"No buts Henry. This is serious. I know you don't see it, because you just see it as just some books, but in reality it's like you just played with a gun, that just happened to be unloaded. Do you understand Henry?" Emma stated sternly to her slack jawed son. When Henry continued to remain silent Emma continued to speak hoping to get him to understand. "You got lucky, Henry. That is what you got, when you read those books again, not once but twice. Or how ever many times you read them.

It's like playing with my gun and hoping it was unloaded every time. Do you understand now why I am a bit upset about it? It's not that I don't appreciate the help Henry, because I very much do, but the fact that we had been working with those books and they had been moved around and something could have been placed in with those books that you shouldn't touch keeps running through my mind and then what do you think could of happened?" Emma stopped for a moment to let Henry think while they both started to get their meals ready to be eaten.

"I could have been really hurt, and everyone would have really blamed mom, then." Henry finally said about half way through their breakfast looking very thoughtful and contrite.

"Yes, but most of all you could have been really hurt and that would have been devastating _for_ your mom _and_ for me, Henry. Neither of us would want you to get hurt, especially by something we use to help protect you and the town we live in. My gun and your mom's books are one and the same, Henry, tools used to help us better protect those we love. Unfortunately, those tools in the wrong hands can also become dangerous as well and that is why your mom and I put our tools in safes and lock them up so that, hopefully, they can't fall into the wrong hands and hurt someone – especially you, Henry." Emma reached over and held Henry's hand as she said everything hoping that her son would fully understand why she was going to let him get into trouble with his mom and fully support everything Regina was going to do as far as Henry's punishment, even if it meant they got less time together.

Henry said little more than okay after that, and only waved to Ruby when they left the diner. Emma decided not to take her bug and walked with Henry to the Town Hall so that they could speak with Regina. Emma would need to look at the book that Henry was talking about and see if he could be right as to the possibility of the 'earthquake' being caused by a magical creature and completely natural and if so could Regina find it so that proof could be shown to others. As much as Emma hated the need to show proof that it wasn't Regina that was performing the magic, it was still easier to make people shut up if she could give them solid evidence that there was in fact tangible proof that it was in fact something else.

‡

 _And I will stumble and fall  
I'm still learning to love  
Just starting to crawl_

* * *

 _Say something, I'm giving up on you  
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you  
Anywhere, I would've followed you  
Say something, I'm giving up on you_

‡

Emma stacked the last report into the mildly large stack on the corner of the desk before she stands up and moves around the desk, picking up her keys and making sure she took off the set that went to the patrol cruiser and the Sheriff's truck so that she could put them in the lock box. Once they were put away she picked up the two sealed envelopes, both addressed to the same person, but for two completely different reasons; which was why she decided it was best to write two different letters. She put them on top of her paperwork and picked up the whole stack before taking a few steps towards the exit, then stopped and looked around the place once again. When the only feelings that came back to her were of regret and sadness, Emma knew she was doing the right thing. With a deep breath Emma turned once more towards the exit of the Sheriff's office, not looking back again.

She made her way to her little beetle with little fanfare, only a nod from one of the people walking by as she is getting into her little yellow VW beetle bug. The drive to Town Hall was as uneventful as any other day and Emma makes it there within a few minutes like she would any other day. Emma gives a nod or wave to a few of the Town's residents that pass by her as she makes her way up to the building, but she doesn't say anything to them, she's not really in the mood to speak.

Once the tall blonde makes it to the steps leading into the building, she holds her head up high and makes her way in like she would any other day, not once letting on what was going on in her mind. Like always she didn't bother giving Kathryn more than a short wave before she knocked her her knuckles on Mayor Mills closed office door, when she reached the older woman's outer office, before just opening the door and takes a couple steps in as she began speaking, "Regina, I have-"

"Have I not already told you what you are to do with any and all correspondence that aren't life and death emergencies Miss Swan. Now, do I have to reiterate those instructions to you, or do you think you can follow them without remedial instruction?" It really didn't surprise Emma all that much when Regina interrupted her, that didn't mean it didn't hurt any less, but she let her words roll over her without comment. Instead Emma didn't say a thing in response to what Regina had said and only turned around and walked back out of Regina's office, softly closing the door to her office.

‡

 _And I will swallow my pride  
You're the one that I love  
And I'm saying goodbye_

‡

Once out in the outer office Emma silently moves the few steps over to Katherine's desk, not once making any kind of eye contact with the secretary this time, as it was taking everything she has to keep it together after yet one more rejection from Regina. Emma slowly placed the stack of reports and folders into the wire rack, that was meant for such things, her fingertips slowly dragging over the heavy parchment of the top most envelope for a moment before she takes her hand away then briskly walks out of the Mayor's outer office without a glance back. Emma only called back to Katherine's question of if ' _there was a message for the Mayor?'_ with a simple, "It's included." over her shoulder.

‡

 _Say Something, I'm giving up on you,_

‡

Emma passes various people once again as she leaves the building, all going about their normal day and in strange way, it gave the blonde a bit of hope. Even while her heart felt like it was being literally dug out of her chest with the dullest spoon in all creation, that the world still turns and that she can still put one foot in front of the other. That even these 'fairytale' characters were just as clueless to the failings of the love lives of others as those in the world Emma once thought of as the 'real' one. Her own father only waved as he passed her in the patrol cruiser, looking as though he needed to get a bit more sleep, which was more than likely true, with Joel sick and Snow into the cravings part of her second pregnancy. The short walk to where her beetle was parked was uneventful, which wasn't unusual, or unfortunately, unexpected. Though there was a small hope that Regina had just waited until Emma had left too get the reports, and therefore find the letters.

The blonde shook her head sharply to clear the thought that Regina would even care as to the fact that she was leaving. It was what she's wanted for nearly three years now. Well she won. If she did read those letters by now, she wouldn't have come rushing down to stop her, she would be doing a victory dance in her office right now. To think otherwise was just masochistic. Emma wrenched open the driver's side door and slid in behind the wheel of her beloved beetle, snapping the door closed behind her. Her hands going to the steering wheel as her eyes took in the battered interior of the car she loved. In a way it was like her, battered, beaten, a little unsure at times, in some ways old, but in the end still working.

As Emma's hands gripped the steering wheel of her beetle a bit more tightly at the thought of how many people threw away or discarded her little beetle as a piece of trash, because of how it looked or because they thought it wasn't good enough, the first drops of her tears finally rolled down her cheek. Emma sighed and let her grip relax not even bothering to wipe it away, she let it fall as well as the others that started to follow have their way, as she started her car and moved it out into the very light traffic.

Consciously not looking back at the building that housed the one person that she so wanted to see come out of it, but knew wouldn't until it was her normal time to head home for the day. So she drove forward past street after street, memory after memory, until she was out of the town and on the solitary road that led out of Storybrook. Yet she still didn't look back as forest past on one side and fields past on the other, she made sure to keep her eyes forward all the way up until she saw the sign that would mark the boundary crossing.

Emma slowed her beetle to a stop before she would cross the boundary that would take her out of Storybrook so that she was sitting there with the engine idling passively as she stared straight ahead at the empty road ahead of her. She sat there for over ten minutes, not moving, just staring ahead, refusing to look anywhere else. Until she felt she was ready and she closed her eyes and thumped her head back against the headrest of her seat and pressed the heel of her hands into her eyes hard, relishing the pain it was giving her as she rubbed in a circle to give herself just a bit more pain; because yes, she was a masochist it seemed in some ways. She dragged her hands down her face wiping away the tear streaks and straightened herself up in her seat before she finally, finally, raised her reddened and puffy vibrant jade green eyes to look into her rear view mirror.

To see the same empty road she had driven down, on her way to the town line. The image of the the empty, unforgiving road blurred before more tears dropped once more from Emma's eyes and she turned her jade green gaze forward again with renewed determination she eased the clutch and accelerated into first gear, finally crossing the town line; her body working automatically to shift gears as her little yellow beetle faithfully took her further and further away from the root of her heartache and isolation. The tail lights of Emma's beetle remained the only thing on that road until it was swallowed up by a bend in the road.

‡

 _Say Something..._

‡

The knock on the door brought Regina out of her concentration for the second time in as many hours which was greatly frustrating the Mayor to no end. She really wanted to be able to be the one to pick up Henry this afternoon, and not have to call Emma to do it. Regina missed being able to have some time to just spend with Henry before they both had to do other things in the early evening. "Yes? Come in." The Mayor stated her annoyance coloring her voice, even though she was sure it was Katherine on the other side of the door. She highly doubt it was anyone else, as Katherine, would use the speaker to announce them if it was, and Emma would have just knocked and come in like always.

Regina's brows furrowed when she noticed the large files being carried in by Katherine, as the Mayor couldn't think of anything that was to be turned in that would have that amount paperwork required for it. And if so, why in the world would it be given to her so late in the week? There would be no way she would be able to go over that amount of information in the day and a half needed before the council meeting. "Katherine?" Regina questioned as she raised an eyebrow, her eyes looking pointedly at the files in her assistant's hands.

"I didn't really take note of it when she turned it all in, Regina. I thought it was all just reports to be filed like always. But when I looked at it... Well... You _need_ to look at it _now_. I don't know what's in the envelopes, but um I don't have a good feeling about it by what I read from the first file I opened up." Katherine stated as she walked over to stand right beside Regina and set the files down right in front of her. Regina could see the worry clearly on the blonde's face and that made the Mayor's stomach drop with dread at who Katherine could be talking about.

"Who exactly are we speaking about, Katherine?" Regina asked as her eyes looked down at the files sitting in front of her as though they were going to reach out and bite her any moment. Though really she didn't need Katherine to say Emma's name as she recognized the handwriting right away. What confused her was why there was two letters, one addressed formally and the other informally, though they were both addressed to her. Regina barely heard her assistant confirm vocally what her eyes had already let her know. So the dark haired mayor only nodded and picked up the formally addressed envelope, not wanting to read something personal with Katherine near her, and slid her letter opener through it until it was open and she could pull out the thick official looking letter, that was typed on the letterhead of the Storybrook Sheriff office.

 _To: Madam Mayor Regina Mills,_

 _I regret to inform you of my resignation as Storybrook's appointed Sheriff, effective immediately. As in accordance with Storybrook city ordinance 835.4 sub section d1.3, I can not hold a public office within the town of Storybrook when I no longer reside within the town's limits. As of the above stated date, my residency will no longer be within the town limits of Storybrook, therefore I will no longer be eligible to hold the Sheriff's position. I do apologize for the short notice, but arrangements were made more quickly than expected._

 _To that end I have compiled a list of talented candidates to fill the interim Sheriff's position until the next Elections are held. The file that I have marked as_ _ **'Candidates-4.5'**_ _has everyone that I feel would do an excellent job. There names are alphabetized and arranged by greatest level of experience to least. Hopefully that will make the selection process go more smoothly and quickly for you and the council._

 _As promised I finished the expansion proposal for the department. I have included all files and diagrams, as well as a powerpoint presentation as to how the delineation and adjustments of not only manpower, but also overhead, supplies, equipment, labor, building costs as well as various other expenditures that will go with this venture_ _ **(Included in file 'Storybrook-Sheriff-Expenditures')**_ _. You are welcome to check over the numbers of course, I would expect nothing less. Though if you do find the program cost permissible your future Sheriff should be able to just follow what is in_ _ **'File Storybrook-Sheriff-Expansion-Execution'**_ _as everything is already organized and laid out there. Of course things maybe be changed as needed, but it will at least give your Sheriff a place to begin._

 _I have also sorted through all those looking into possibly wanting to become a Deputy when or if the proposals are put into effect in the future. Those resumes are also placed in their respective files, alphabetized, and categorized according to those I felt brought the most experience to the position. That file is labeled under_ _ **'Deputy Candidates'**_ _for easy reference._

 _Finally, I have finished all overdue and current reports, budgets, and inventories that need to be turned in to either Town Hall Record's or the Mayor's Office directly. Those files are labeled accordingly in their own individual files within the larger file labeled_ _ **'Town Hall Records'**_ _. All keys to the buildings, vehicles, cells, and police records are locked in the safe at the station. If needed, one of the Deputies can procure them for you at your convenience._

 _Town issued Sheriff's Badge is sealed within an envelope in the Sheriff's personal gun safe, as well as both town issued service weapons. All equipment has also been returned to their designated locations and properly stored. The code for the combination lock for the Sheriff's personal gun safe, within the Station, has been changed back to the Town Hall default; as per standard procedure within the bylaws of the Storybrook town ordinance. Again I apologize for the short notice of my resignation, but I hope the files help ease the sudden transition more smoothly._

 _Respectfully,_

 _Emma Swan_

Regina didn't know what to think when she got to the end of the letter. In fact she had to read the thing three times before the full scope of it actually got through to her. "I-I can't believe she left..." Katherine's hesitant if apt comment broke the Mayor out of her disbelieving trance, and into a flurry of activity.

"Come on!" Regina snapped as she snatched up the large stack of files as well as the unopened letter and the one she had already opened into her arms as she continued to say "I need you to drive me to Henry's school! She can't be gone yet! She would have gone to him when he got out of school to at the very least say goodbye or make some kind of arrangement with him! I know for a fact she promised him that she would never leave without talking to him first!" Regina rambled while speed walking out of her office with Katherine rushing to keep up with her.

Regina had no idea why she was divulging all of this to Katherine, yes, they were friends and yes she was the only one willing to come and work with her at first when Regina had come back to take office. But there was still quite a lot of things that the former evil Queen kept very well hidden and never spoke about. And one of those things was her obsession with anything to do with one Emma Swan. She'd been trying so hard to keep herself away from Emma, especially when she saw how much the younger woman's idiotic parents' were putting her in the middle whenever there was an issue having to deal with magic in the land. Why those incepted nitwits couldn't seem to remember that she wasn't the only magic wielding being that crossed over into Storybrook, and now that magic had been back for some time now, more than likely everyone that had it knew how to use it in this land by now.

Thankfully, their son had come to the 'rescue' so to speak as to what had caused the latest magical upheaval and it was just something they would all have to deal with for the next month or so, and even the twitterpated imbeciles couldn't say anything to negate Henry's theory and later Belle's confirmation, unless they wanted to wipe out a group of beings that's only crime was trying to impress and 'catch' a mate. After all not everyone decided to remain in human form when they regained their memories. Many positioned to be revered back to their natural states, well if they didn't have the magic to do so on their own, but those that had magic of their own, couldn't keep their human forms without help from either the faeries, Regina, or Rumpelstiltskin so a great many of them most likely changed back without anyone's knowledge.

Thankfully, Katherine didn't argue she only grabbed her purse and keys as she passed her desk on their way out of the office only stopping to lock the doors to the office though it seemed that Regina didn't want to stop even for that short moment, though she did. Once they were outside the mayor nearly sprinted to the blonde's car, which the blonde opened remotely with her key fob. Regina slid into the passenger side of the car and shut the door only pausing to draw the seat belt quickly around her and securing it before she turned her attention to the second unopened envelope that was now on top of Emma's resignation letter. ' _Regina'_ was only thing scrawled in Emma's distinctive handwriting across this particular envelope.

The sight of which made the brunette's heart race at the rather logical conclusion that this letter was more than likely personal in nature, unlike the other one was. The only thing that the resignation letter stated was that Emma was leaving. It was formal and very abrupt and business like.. Nothing like what Regina had come to expect from the blonde Sheriff... former... well not former if she had anything to say about it. Regina was not going to accept Emma's resignation without a fight. And with that thought the determined brunette ripped other envelope just as Katherine slid into her seat and started the car. Only taking her eyes from extracting the folded paper to once more convey to her friend that they were going to Henry's school, as he was in his final period of the day so Regina figured that was the best chance to catch Emma before she left. Once she had it out she realized that, unlike the formal resignation letter, this one was hand written and much shorter. In fact it was extremely short:

 _Regina,_

 _You won. I can only hope you will continue to  
allow Henry to keep in contact with me. He  
already knows how, so there is no reason you  
will have to waste your time on it._

 _Emma Swan_

Regina nearly screamed when she read the note in her hand, she couldn't believe what she was reading. Her hands were shaking as she held the small sheet of stationary, unable to formulate a single thought on how to solve the problem that what she had read created. Because what was in the note pointed to the fact that Henry already knew that she was leaving town, which would have left Emma free to actually leave directly after she had dropped off the paperwork. But if that was true then how in the hell did she miss it? Henry would have surely acted different had Emma told him that she was leaving, even if she had made arrangements to keep in contact with him while she was away, and that would have been turned into resentment towards her.

No, Emma had to have written it thinking that she wouldn't have read it until much later, after she had spoken to Henry after he got out of school. It was the only logical explanation Regina could come up with as to why their son hadn't acted differently that morning at breakfast, or when she had dropped him off at school. He had even given her a hug and told her that he would see her after school and surely he wouldn't have done that if he had any knowledge of what Emma planned to do.

She didn't have any more time to debate it though as Kathryn was pulling up to the school and Regina could see that the students were just beginning to spill out as her assistant came to a stop at the curb in front of the school. With shaking hands, Regina managed to fold the note and shove it back into the envelope that it had come in, before Kathryn – being the ever attentive assistant – picked the whole pile up off her lap; allowing Regina to get out of the car – unencumbered by the stack of files that were encased within the various manilla envelopes – to wait for Henry. Though Regina let her eyes dart all over trying to find Emma, because she had to be somewhere waiting for Henry to leave the school too, no matter where she looked Regina didn't see her and it was beginning to make the former Queen anxious.

In fact Regina was so lost in her search for any sign of Emma that she completely missed her son walking right up to her until he spoke. "Hey mom, I didn't think you were going to be able to get off work to pick me up. Hi Katherine." If it wasn't for the fact that she was an extremely skilled Magic user, she might have accidentally fireballed him with how surprised she was at his seemingly sudden appearance. Though once Regina was settled back down from her momentary scare she didn't waste any time in asking Henry if he had seen Emma.

It took every bit of willpower she had developed over her lifetime to keep from screaming at the look of understanding in her son's eyes, though he had yet to say a word. "No, mom. She took me to dinner yesterday, remember?" Regina didn't know how to take the calm in her son's voice, because he should be hating her, yelling at her, blaming her, but he wasn't.

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she slightly jumped when Henry placed his hand on her arm and spoke again. "It's okay mom, let's go home." Before he let go and slipped into the backseat of Kathryn's car. Regina couldn't think of any reason not to follow her son's lead at the moment, though her mind was a jumbled mess at the moment and she didn't know how to process everything that had happened. Which was why the drive to their house was a silent one. In fact, Regina didn't remember getting out of her assistant's car, let alone actually getting into the house itself. Though she was aware of her son giving her a hug, which helped to bring her out of her dazed state of mind.

"Don't worry, mom, I'm not mad at you. Emma made sure I understood it wasn't your fault. You can't help the fact that you don't love her. Just like she can't help the fact that she loves you. It would be unfair of me to judge either of you for that." Regina couldn't help the small sob that she couldn't hold back as her son's words fully penetrated her brain and full comprehension of the situation came to her. Nor could she stop the tears that fell from her eyes when Henry hugged her tightly promising to not be mad at her and make sure she knew that he loved her, believing the source of her tears was the thought of losing his love again. She couldn't tell him that he was wrong, that she was desperately trying to keep it together because she had once again lost the chance at love and this time because of her own actions, or more precisely inaction on her part.

As Regina Mills stood in her living room silently crying, hugging the son she shared with the woman she had fallen in love with, yet lost. All she could think about was, ' _I should have said something.'_

* * *

 _Please let me know what you think ~ Jaely_


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